Qayyarah Oil Fires

PhotographerKate Geraghty

PrizeHonorable Mention

City/Countrysydney, Australia

Photo Date3/2/2017

Technical InfoNikon D4S

Entry Description

One of Islamic States parting shots as they retreated from Qayyarah was to blow up 19 oil wells. They littered the fields with IED's and land mines making it more dangerous for the emergency services to extinguish the fires. This is Iraq's oil wealth going up in flames with tens of thousands of barrels per day on fire. In the short term hundreds of people and livestock have fallen gravely ill. The long term affects on ground water and soil contamination are yet to be seen.